1. Field of the Invention
Multiple spark ignition capability has been incorporated into IC engines by Toyota, Mazda and Clarke & Associates and presented in their technical briefs (References 1, 2 and 3) where the engines equipped with MSI systems consistently performed at three electrodes with a 33% increased fuel efficiency realized. Glass fabric reinforced polysiloxane composite head gaskets have been successfully made with embedded electric circuits (Reference 3) that realized up to 33% fuel savings. Since these earlier efforts new high temperature flexible ceramic composite materials have been developed (see U.S. Pat. No. 8,293,830) that have performed over 350,000 miles cab fleet durability testing (under confidentiality agreement) as exhaust manifold hot-gas composite gaskets (see U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0320700). The MSI fuel savings device is fabricated with embedded circuits within the high temperature durable flexible ceramic materials. The methods of fabricating the devices comprises innovations in efficiently fabricating affordable composite ignition devices that can be assembled within IC engine head assembles providing up to 33% fuel savings.
2. Description of the Previously Published Art
Plaksin, et.al. German Patent, WO 94/09271 is the earliest recorded patent filed relating to providing multiple spark ignition using head gaskets with embedded electrodes. The Clarke MSI composite device is not a head gasket. The patent was filed in Germany as DE 3530997 Sep. 4, 1986. The patent is specific to teach the use of parallel circuits with diode devices which are necessary for keeping the multiple spark ignition electrodes sparking in balance.
The Clarke composite device is assembled into the top of the head combustion chamber as a vacuum formed in place MSI composite structure with embedded electrodes connected by an “in series” electrical circuit. The Clarke composite device is not directly attached to the ignition source, but uses an arc from the central spark plug electrode to initiate the multiple spark ignition series which is grounded after the last electrode position.
Lipski, U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,466 is superseded by the German Plaksin patent in 1986, 1987 and 1988 filings and is specific to teach the use of a head gasket (Clarke MSI composite device is not a head gasket) with embedded electrodes within a head gasket made with organic substrate materials (e.g., FR 4 fire retardant polymer) that cannot withstand the combustion temperatures of IC engines 850 to 950° C. The circuits as illustrated cannot sustain ignition as suggested. The invention does not use spark plug advantages for avoiding costly electrical attachment requirements. The invention depends on a head gasket to provide the electrodes to the firing locations. The Clarke MSI composite device is not a head gasket.
The Clarke U.S. Pat. No. 6,161,520 is specific to teach the use of a head gasket to provide the multiple spark ignition (MSI). The Clarke MSI composite device is not a head gasket. The Clarke composite device retains the central spark plug, using its electrode to make an arc attachment with the in series circuit eliminating the costly high voltage 520′ patent attachment requirement. The Clarke 520′ patent is specific to teach that the gasket materials derived from Clarke's copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 08/962,782; 08/962,783 and 09/185,282, all teach the required use of boron nitride as the catalyst for condensation polymerization of the resin blend needed to produce the gaskets. Clarke has verified that boron nitride is not a catalyst as incorrectly claimed. Clarke verified the certainty that boron nitride is not a catalyst by attempting to repeat the 873 patent's FIG. 1 “gel” curve at 177° C. using the preferred CERAC, Inc. item #B-1084-99.5% pure boron nitride.
The Clarke SAE 2002-01-0332 paper (Reference 3) refers to the use of a head gasket to provide the multiple spark ignition (MSI). The Clarke MSI composite device is not a head gasket. The Clarke composite device retains the central spark plug, using its electrode to make an arc attachment with the in series circuit eliminating the costly high voltage 520′ patent attachment requirement. Additionally, the methods of producing “flexible-ceramic” laminates capable of high-temperature elastic recovery (FIG. 2) are not addressed. The flexible-ceramic “self extinguishing” property when heat is removed is an essential requirement to prevent combustion pre-ignition in the MSI fuel saving flexible ceramic composite ignition devices.